The present invention relates to a controlling apparatus and a controlling method whereby the controlling apparatus executes synchronized power-on/off control over electronic devices which are connected to the controlling apparatus via a bus pursuant to a predetermined communication format and which are fabricated by the same vender as that of the controlling apparatus, as well as over electronic devices which are likewise connected to the controlling apparatus and which come from venders different from that of the controlling apparatus.
Today, the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) 1394 data interface has gained widespread acceptance as a digital data interface. Faster than the SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) among others in terms of data transfer rate, the IEEE 1394 data interface is known to permit isochronous communication whereby data of a predetermined size are transmitted and received periodically. As such, the IEEE 1394 data interface is deemed advantageous in transferring stream data such as AV (audio/video) data in real time.
Against that background, those AV systems have been proposed which interconnect various digital AV devices and electronic equipment such as a personal computer via a data bus complying with data interface standards such as the IEEE 1394.
Conventional AV systems have their component devices switched on and off in a synchronized manner as outlined below:
Common AV systems popularly known as audio component systems are constituted by combining diverse components (such as music source recording/reproducing apparatus, amplifiers, etc.) into a single integrated piece of audio equipment. When a main power supply of such an audio component system is turned on or off, the components making up the system are turned on or off synchronously through the use of, say, a local internal bus installed for control purposes.
It has been common practice over the years to plug an AV device into a synchronously operated power outlet furnished on an amplifier or like equipment constituting an audio component system. In that setup, the configured devices are turned on and off in synchronism with the amplifier being switched on and off.
Data interface standards such as the IEEE 1394 permit in principle intercommunication between devices regardless of their different venders as long as they share, say, an IEEE 1394 interface function. That is, component devices making up a system through their IEEE 1394 data interfaces are each recognized as an independent unit attached to a data bus of the system.
The individual devices are each powered independently from a commercial AC source. This means that a system, when configured, may or may not have its component devices turned on and off in an interconnected manner using synchronously controlled power sources. Illustratively, if the component devices connected by IEEE 1394 cables are installed in separate rooms, the devices cannot be switched on or off by use of synchronously controlled power supplies.
An AV system may be built on an IEEE 1394 data interface interconnecting devices of the same series or specific models from the same vender with a view to implementing functions of a typical audio component system. In that case, the component devices are currently recognized as an independent device each on a common data bus and thus will not be turned on or off synchronously. In view of improving the ease of operation and the convenience of usage, it is obviously desirable for such an AV system to have its components powered on and off in an interconnected manner.
In solving the foregoing and other problems of the related art and according to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a controlling apparatus capable of synchronized power supply control over a plurality of electronic devices which are connected to the controlling apparatus via a bus pursuant to a predetermined communication format and which are fabricated by a plurality of venders including those different from the vender of the controlling apparatus, the controlling apparatus comprising: an operating element for causing the controlling apparatus to execute synchronized power-off control; a first determining element which, when the operating element is operated by a user, determines whether any one of the electronic devices which is currently selected by the controlling apparatus as an input has a link with any electronic device other than the controlling apparatus; and a controlling element for switching off synchronously each electronic device which is currently selected by the controlling apparatus as the input and which is judged by the first determining element to have no link with any electronic device other than the controlling apparatus.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a controlling apparatus capable of synchronized power supply control over a plurality of electronic devices which are connected to the controlling apparatus via a bus pursuant to a predetermined communication format and which are fabricated by a plurality of venders including those different from the vender of the controlling apparatus, the controlling apparatus comprising: an operating element for causing the controlling apparatus to execute synchronized power-on control; a first determining element which, when the operating element is operated by a user, determines whether any one of the electronic devices which is currently selected by the controlling apparatus as an input has a link with the controlling apparatus; and a controlling element for switching on synchronously each electronic device judged by the first determining element to have a link with the controlling apparatus.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following description and appended drawings.